Council Delays Backwoods Water Action And Gives Free Water To Residents

February 17, 2009

The Town of Century has voted to not charge residents of Backwoods Road for their water while the town takes a wait-and-see approach on funding a project that improved the area’s water service.

The $1.7 million project is ready to build, except there has been a delay in acquiring a small piece of property for a booster pumping stations. The project include a new 500,000 gallon elevate water storage tank and new water lines along State Line Road, Highway 4A and Backwoods Road. It has taken the town about 10 years to address upgrading the Backwoods water service from a 2-inch to a 6-inch main.

“The bottom line is the plans are ready,” said Dale Long of Fabre Engineering. “We could build it tomorrow.”

The town was approved for a USDA Rural Development loan for the project, but never entered into a contract for the funds. Now they have voted to wait a few weeks to see if funding might be coming to the town under the federal stimulus program.

Council member Gary Riley said  he would like to wait on possible stimulus money, as did member Nadine McCaw.

“It ain’t fair to the folks on Backwoods to wait,” Council member Henry Hawkins said.  “In the meantime while they waiting, Backwoods should not have to pay no water bill.”

“That right now is very logical at this point,” McCaw said

“It gives them something in exchange for waiting,” Council President Ann Brooks agreed.

The council voted 5-0 to not charge Backwoods Road customers for their water service, beginning with the next billing cycle.

Long said that he would expect the council to know about any stimulus money within a few weeks. Once the council votes to advertise the water system upgrade, the time for the first shovel would be about two to three additional months, he said.

There are “20 something” water customers on Backwoods Road, Mayor Freddie McCall said. The town does not provide water or sewer service to those residents.

Comments

2 Responses to “Council Delays Backwoods Water Action And Gives Free Water To Residents”

  1. Jay on February 17th, 2009 7:28 pm

    What other options are available to the town for these pumping stations? If the land owner won’t sell the small areas for these pumping stations at fair market value then it is time to move forward with eminent domain proceedings. This is what eminent domain was supposed to be used for… bettering the community the overall public good.

  2. E.M.D. on February 17th, 2009 11:37 am

    “The $1.7 million project is ready to build, except there has been a delay in acquiring a small piece of property for a booster pumping stations?”

    What about that “small” piece of property for sale that folks were making fun of yesterdy (“County Declares Century Property Surplus; Sells It”)?

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News